THE BIRDS OF NEW JERSEY. 229 



Tolerably common winter resident on the sand hills of the coast. 

 November 3d to April 16th. 



This bird, which is essentially a large, pale Savanah Sparrow, is 

 restricted to the immediate vicinity of the seabeach, where it easily 

 escapes notice, so closely does its coloration match that of the sand. 



It was first detected on the New Jersey coast by Alexander Wilson, 1 

 who described and figured it as the male Savanah Sparrow. It was 

 not noticed here again until December 30th, 1879, when Dr. W. L. 

 Abbott 2 obtained a specimen in Cape May county. Since then a num- 

 ber of specimens have been secured all the way from Squan Beach to 

 Cape May, and it has be6n found on nearly every occasion when it was 

 sought for in winter. 3 



Dr. William E. Hughes found it most abundant during March and 

 November, evidently the times of migration.* 



542a Passerculus sandwichensis savanna (Wilson). 

 Savannah Sparrow. 



Adults. Length, 5-5.50. Wing, 2.75. Above, grayish-brown, heavily streaked 

 with black, and feathers more or or less edged with grayish; wing feathers 

 strongly edged with brown ; a yellow line over the eye ; under parts, white 

 (tinged with buff in the autumn) ; streaked with black on the breast and sides. 



Young in first summer. Similar, but more buffy above and strongly tinged 

 with buff below ; the breast streaks less conspicuous. 



Nest of grass on the ground ; eggs, four to five, bluish-white, thickly spotted 

 with brown, .75 x .55. 



Common transient visitant. Spring, March 16th to May 15th; au- 

 tumn, September 1st to October 20th. Regular winter resident in 

 Cape May county, and rare breeder in the northern counties and on 

 the coast. Mr. Thurber (1887) says it nests at Morristown, and Mr. 

 J. H. Clark makes the same statement for Paterson. Mr. W. B. 

 Crispin states that he found one nest near Salem, and Mr. W. D. Miller 



1 Cf. Stone, Osprey, II., p. 117. 



2 Forest and Stream, XIV., p. 44. 



8 Cf. Abst. Proc. D. V. O. C., I., p. 7 ; II., p. 3 ; Auk, 1892, p. 204 ; Bull. 

 Nutt. Orn. Club, 1881, p. 116. 



* Abst. Proc. D. V. O. C., III., pp. 5, 8. 



